Innovation in Home-to-School transport: Councils trial new approaches

With home-to-school transport costs continuing to place significant pressure on local authority budgets, several councils are demonstrating how innovation and partnership working can improve outcomes for children and families while making services more sustainable.

Recent examples highlighted by Children & Young People Now show how councils are moving away from a one-size-fits-all model and instead tailoring transport solutions to individual children's needs.

Norfolk County Council has expanded its Independent Travel Training programme, helping young people with SEND develop the confidence and skills to travel safely and independently using public transport. Alongside improving independence, wellbeing and preparation for adulthood, the programme can reduce long-term reliance on specialist transport services.

Westmorland and Furness Council has introduced a more personalised approach by working closely with families to explore the most appropriate travel arrangements for each child. Rather than defaulting to taxis, the council considers a wider range of options, including personal travel budgets, mileage payments and other flexible solutions that give families greater choice and control.

East Sussex County Council has focused on reviewing transport routes and commissioning arrangements to improve efficiency while ensuring children continue to receive safe and appropriate transport. The authority is also investing in travel training and encouraging greater collaboration between education, transport and SEND services to plan provision more effectively.

While every area faces different challenges, these examples highlight several common themes:

• investing in independence through travel training;
• working collaboratively with families to develop personalised solutions;
• making greater use of personal travel budgets and flexible transport options;
• improving commissioning and route planning;
• bringing education, SEND, transport and children's services together to find whole-system solutions.

As demand for SEND services continues to grow, home-to-school transport is becoming much more than a transport issue. It is increasingly linked to inclusive education, local sufficiency of specialist provision, early intervention and effective partnership working.